Controlled Folder Access is a feature of Microsoft's Windows Security desktop antivirus application. It prevents ransomware by preventing files in protected folders from being modified. Enabling Controlled Folder Access prevents untrusted applications, malware, or other means from changing files in protected folders.
Controlled Folder Access is an additional security feature in Windows 10 and 11 that some users appreciate. Ransomware is not something to be taken lightly and enabling this feature will keep your system and user files extra safe. Here are 4 ways you can enable Controlled Folder Access in Windows.
How to enable Controlled Folder Access in Windows Security
The Controlled Folder Access setting is located under Ransomware Protection in the Windows Security app. It's easy to find and turn it on/off once you know where it is. Here's how to turn on Controlled Folder Access in the Windows Security app.
1. To open the Windows Security application , double-click its system tray icon.
2. Select the Virus & threat protection tab of Windows Security.
3. Click Manage ransomware protection to go to Controlled Folder Access settings.
4. Now, turn on the Controlled Folder Access option to enable that feature.
Controlled Folder Access protects the Documents, Videos, Pictures, and Music user folders when enabled. To see a list of protected user folders, click Protected folder. You can add more to the list by clicking the Add protected folder button , selecting a folder, and clicking Select Folder.
How to Enable Controlled Folder Access Using PowerShell
Windows PowerShell provides you with an alternative method to enable and disable Controlled Folder Access by executing commands. You can enable Controlled Folder Access using PowerShell as follows:
1. To activate the file search tool, press Win + S .
2. Type PowerShell in the enabled search utility.
3. Open PowerShell with admin rights by selecting Run as administrator .
4. To enable Controlled Folder Access, type this command text and press Enter :
Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Enabled
5. You can disable Controlled Folder Access by executing this command:
Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess DisabledHow to enable Controlled Folder Access with Group Policy Editor
If you have Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise, you can enable Controlled Folder Access using the Group Policy Editor. The Group Policy Editor also includes some additional configuration settings for Controlled Folder Access. Here's how to enable Controlled Folder Access via GPE.
Note : If you are using Windows Home, Group Policy Editor will not appear by default.
1. Open the Windows search tool and type gpedit.msc in it.
2. Select gpedit.msc to display the Group Policy Editor.
3. Click Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates in the left pane of Group Policy Editor.
4. Double-click Windows Components to expand it.
5. Click the arrows to expand Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Microsoft Defender Exploit Guard .
6. Select Controlled Folder Access to view the policy settings for that feature.
7. Then double-click on Configure Controlled folder access to see that setting's window.
8. Select Enabled for the Configure Controlled folder access window .
9. Click Block on the drop-down menu to select the strictest CFA mode. However, you can also select the Audit Mode, Block disk notification only , and Audit disk notification only options to allow Controlled Folder Access.
10. Select Apply in the Configure Controlled folder access window .
11. Click the OK button of the Configure Controlled folder access window .
How to enable Controlled Folder Access from Windows context menu
Alternatively, you can create a context menu shortcut to enable/disable Controlled Folder Access. Then you will be able to access the Turn on Controlled folder access setting from the Windows desktop area. You can add such a CFA option to the right-click menu by setting up and running a registry script as follows:
1. Open Notepad.
2. Then select this script text and press Ctrl + C :
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
; Created by: Shawn Brink
; Created on: July 19th 2018
; Tutorial: https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/114389-add-turn-off-controlled-folder-access-context-menu-windows-10-a.html
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\ControlledFolderAccess]
"HasLUAShield"=""
"Icon"="%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Defender\\EppManifest.dll,-101"
"MUIVerb"="Turn On or Off Control folder access"
"Position"="Bottom"
"SubCommands"=""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\ControlledFolderAccess\shell\001flyout]
"MUIVerb"="Turn on Control folder access"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"Icon"="%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Defender\\EppManifest.dll,-101"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\ControlledFolderAccess\shell\001flyout\command]
@="PowerShell -windowstyle hidden -Command \"Start-Process cmd -ArgumentList '/s,/c,start PowerShell.exe Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Enabled' -Verb RunAs\""
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\ControlledFolderAccess\shell\002flyout]
"MUIVerb"="Turn off Control folder access"
"HasLUAShield"=""
"Icon"="%ProgramFiles%\\Windows Defender\\EppManifest.dll,-101"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DesktopBackground\Shell\ControlledFolderAccess\shell\002flyout\command]
@="PowerShell -windowstyle hidden -Command \"Start-Process cmd -ArgumentList '/s,/c,start PowerShell.exe Set-MpPreference -EnableControlledFolderAccess Disabled' -Verb RunAs\""3. Paste that script into Notepad by clicking on the application's window and pressing Ctrl + V .
4. Next, press Ctrl + Shift + S to view Notepad's Save as window .
5. Set the Save as type option to All files .
6. Type Turn on Control folder access.reg inside the file name box.
7. Choose to save the script to the desktop location.
8. Click Save to add the Turn on Control folder access registry file to the desktop.
9. Close the Notepad editor and double-click the Turn on Control folder access.reg file on the desktop.
10. Select Yes to confirm that you trust the script.
You can now enable Controlled Folder Access from the Windows context menu.
Microsoft introduced Bluetooth LE (low energy) Audio support with Windows 11 22H2 KB5026446 (build 22621.1778), also known as Moment 3, in May 2023.
Changing your avatar on Windows 10 to your own photo, or a completely new style, will help you distinguish between user accounts on your computer.
The October 2024 report provides an overview of Windows 11's market share compared to other versions of Windows.
Windows is the most targeted operating system by hackers. Therefore, you should strengthen your PC's defenses to stay safe both online and offline. This article will guide you on how to enable or disable Secure Sign-In in Windows 10.
Adding a printer to Windows 10 is simple, although the process for wired devices will be different than for wireless devices.
Do you want to speed up Windows 10, improve Windows 10 speed or speed up Windows 10 startup? All ways to speed up Windows 10 are in this article, please read and apply to make your Windows 10 computer run faster!
Whether you're new to Windows or a veteran, your system will eventually run into problems that aren't easy to diagnose. Before calling tech support, there are a number of PC diagnostic tools you can try.
Windows clipboard history got a major overhaul with the Windows 10 October update.
Microsoft continues to announce plans to add new features to Windows 10, despite the fact that the operating system will inevitably die in October 2025.
Although Microsoft promotes Windows 11 as the future of computing, many people have recently downgraded to Windows 10 on their main PCs. Here's why it might actually be worth it to go back to an older operating system.
Microsoft charges for its official codecs and doesn't include them in Windows 10. However, you can get them for free without pulling out your credit card and spending $0.99.
When you move the mouse to the Taskbar, it displays all the functions as default when you have not set it up, but if you move the mouse elsewhere, the Taskbar will automatically hide.
Bluetooth makes our life smarter and more convenient, to avoid possible Bluetooth problems in Windows 10, such as Bluetooth not available, users should download and update Bluetooth driver for Windows 10 regularly.
If you miss the familiar look and feel of Windows 10, you can restore the Start menu, taskbar, and other familiar elements with a few simple tweaks.
You can use one of the following 6 methods to open Computer Properties (or System Properties) on Windows 10.
Growth doesn’t always look like adding more. Sometimes it looks like cutting away what’s no longer helping. Across industries, a quiet shift is happening among business owners who’ve stopped chasing every new trend, subscription, and “solution” that lands in their inbox. Instead, they’re pruning.
Transporting bulky goods presents a unique set of challenges. Whether you’re moving furniture, heavy machinery, construction materials, or large appliances, ensuring that these items reach their destination safely, on time, and without unnecessary expense requires a carefully thought-out approach.
If you no longer need to use Galaxy AI on your Samsung phone, you can turn it off with a very simple operation. Below are instructions for turning off Galaxy AI on your Samsung phone.
If you don't need to use any AI characters on Instagram, you can also quickly delete them. Here's how to delete AI characters on Instagram.
The delta symbol in Excel, also known as the triangle symbol in Excel, is used a lot in statistical data tables, expressing increasing or decreasing numbers, or any data according to the user's wishes.
In addition to sharing a Google Sheets file with all sheets displayed, users can choose to share a Google Sheets data area or share a sheet on Google Sheets.
Users can also customize to disable ChatGPT memory whenever they want, on both mobile and computer versions. Below are instructions for disabling ChatGPT memory.
By default, Windows Update will automatically check for updates and you can also see when the last update was. Here is a guide to see when Windows last updated.
Basically, the operation to delete eSIM on iPhone is also simple for us to follow. Below are instructions to delete eSIM on iPhone.
In addition to saving Live Photos as videos on iPhone, users can convert Live Photos to Boomerang on iPhone very simply.
Many apps automatically enable SharePlay when you FaceTime, which can cause you to accidentally press the wrong button and ruin the video call you're making.
When you enable Click to Do, the feature works and understands the text or image you click on and then makes judgments to provide relevant contextual actions.
Turning on the keyboard backlight will make the keyboard glow, useful when operating in low light conditions, or making your gaming corner look cooler. There are 4 ways to turn on the laptop keyboard light for you to choose from below.
There are many ways to enter Safe Mode on Windows 10, in case you cannot enter Windows and cannot enter. To enter Safe Mode Windows 10 when starting the computer, please refer to the article below of WebTech360.
Grok AI has now expanded its AI photo generator to transform personal photos into new styles, such as creating Studio Ghibli style photos with famous animated films.
